1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fibre connector end fitting comprising a cylindrical centering sleeve in which is formed a cylindrical channel permitting the passage of the fibre, said centering sleeve having at its front end a contact face, where the said fibre emerges. It also relates to a process for centering the fibre in the end fitting, as well as to a device for performing this centering process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,664 to produce optical monofibre connector end fittings or terminations for interconnecting the different fibres. The problem which is at present encountered in producing monochannel connectors for optical fibres is the centering of the fibre in the end fitting, so as to permit light transmission with the minimum losses at the connection. In the aforementioned U.S. Patent, the end fitting has two V-shaped reference planes and the optical fibre is positioned with respect thereto. For this purpose, a centering device is used having e.g. two V-shaped planes, which are complementary to those of the end fitting, whilst the actual fibre is positioned in a groove constituted by two planes parallel to the two aforementioned V-shaped planes and disposed respectively at very precise distances from one another. The fibre is then fixed by means of a polymerizable resin in the end fitting, after which the latter is removed from the positioning means and following polishing or burnishing of the end portion thereof, it is ready for use.
However, such a process has a number of disadvantages. In particular, the end fitting must have two V-shaped planes and a very precise angle between the planes also must be respected. This is relatively difficult to achieve and the end fittings used in this method are consequently expensive. Moreover, during the centering of the fibre, it is necessary to firmly apply the reference planes of the end fitting to the reference planes of the device and such operations have to be carried out with a great deal of care. Although this method is generally satisfactory, there are numerous cases when it is only necessary to have a lower degree of precision than that achieved with the said method, provided that the procedure then used is easier to perform.